SABC execs party abroad while producers go unpaid

While the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) appears to have managed to pay its permanent staff their April salaries, the public broadcaster was unable to pay producers what it owes them this month, as its executives partied lavishly overseas.

Three independent sources who deal with finances at the SABC confirmed to the City Press that the broadcaster owes producers R100-million for April.

The SABC is reported to have had only R70-million available to pay a production bill believed to be about R170-milion.

“At the end of March, SABC was only able to pay R32m of the R150m owed to producers, who create the content that attracts the advertising that is the sole source of its revenue.

“The broadcaster eventually managed, say industry players, to pay about R90m for March. But about R60m remained unpaid, and there were further amounts unpaid from February,” the City Press reported.

The financial crisis at the SABC has reportedly left several production houses on the verge of collapse, with some of them saying they would down tools if they were not paid.

“People cannot pay school fees. There are crew members suddenly without work who literally don’t have food on the table,” a producer of SABC shows was quoted as saying.

To make matters worse for the state-owned broadcaster, sources told the City Press the SABC would not be able to pay all of its soapie producers this month, which are the broadcaster’s biggest money spinners.

Glamorous Los Angeles trip

SABC group executive in charge of TV Nomsa Philiso, according to the report, enjoyed a glamorous trip to Los Angeles in the US to celebrate the 30th birthday of soapie The Bold and the Beautiful, while her division back home was in meltdown.

She apparently flew first class on Emirates for the eight-day trip along with SABC1’s general manager, Maijang Mpherwane.

The trip was sponsored by the soapie according to a source on the trip who told the City Press.

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